DANVILLE — There were some interesting storylines Friday night when Monte Vista High entertained San Ramon Valley in the first of two annual boys basketball skirmishes between these arch-rivals.

First and foremost, the Mustangs rolled past SRV 67-46. Monte Vista, tied for 18th in this week’s Bay Area News Group’s Top 25, scored the game’s first 12 points, and San Ramon Valley never got closer than nine points after that.

“We tend to struggle out of the gate,” Mustangs junior guard Anthony Santa Maria said. “To go up 12-0, that was a boost for our confidence.”

Santa Maria was the fastest starter for Monte Vista (13-4, 4-1 East Bay Athletic League). He outscored the Wolves (10-9, 3-3) all by himself during the first period, pouring in 13 of his team-high 17 points as Monte Vista built a 23-10 lead. Santa Maria hit a trio of 3-point baskets, and added a 2-pointer and a pair of free throws in that opening quarter.

“That was big,” Monte Vista coach Nick Jones said of the 12-0 run to start the game. “Anthony has been playing very well. He’s a solid player, in and out as a starter. The lineup, it’s kinda settled in.”

Whatever Jones is doing with his lineup is working. The Mustangs have won four in a row and trail only De La Salle and Dublin in the EBAL standings.

Four Monte Vista players were in double figures against San Ramon Valley. Joining Santa Maria with big scoring nights were Kris Bortz with 13 points, Matt Musselman with 11 and Nate Rutchena, who added 10.

SRV guard Sebastian Scott led all scores with 20 points.

Rutchena gets the No. 2 spot in Friday night’s list of storylines. He’s a 6-4 guard who can shoot the 3 and mix it up inside. Not surprising given that his No. 1 sport is football.

In the first of two football games against San Ramon Valley last season, Rutchena was taken by ambulance to the hospital after a violent helmet-to-helmet collision with the Wolves’ Jacob Himan. Himan also was transported to the hospital by ambulance, but he waved his arms to let fans know he was OK before leaving the field on a stretcher.

Rutchena did not. He told medical personnel he was feeling that something was not right in his neck and one of his arms, and they told him not to move. But he started to recover shortly after being taken to the hospital and was released that night.

“I was glad they had the right people to help us,” Rutchena said. “I was able to play in our next game. There was no reluctance.”

Rutchena suffered a concussion. But because of the wild fire in Butte County and the poor quality of air it caused in Contra Costa County, Monte Vista’s first North Coast Section game, ironically against San Ramon Valley, was delayed for three weeks.

Rutchena played in that game, then joined the basketball team right after the Mustangs were eliminated by San Ramon Valley.

“Coach Jones, he said to take some time if I needed to rest (after football), that he’d understand,” Rutchena said. “I said no. It did take me a couple of weeks to get into a groove.”

Rutchena was in mid-season form against the Wolves on Friday night, but football is king. The wide receiver/defensive back plans to camp at Boise State, Arizona State and Cal this summer. He’s hoping some college football offers start to come his way.

Another storyline was the officiating Friday night. It was fine. The officials were practically invisible. But if you looked hard enough, you realized both officials were women. That’s extremely rare in a boys game.

Sarah Ely and Chris Cover heard little, if any, complaints from either side. As the two zebras left the court and headed to the gym door after the game, several people came over and told them what a great job they did.

Ely and Cover ref in Contra Costa County and in the Fremont area. They occasionally work together butb weren’t sure how often two women work the same boys game.

Lastly, Eric Musselman, coach of the 10th-ranked Nevada Wolf Pack, was in the stands to watch his son Matt play for Monte Vista. A film crew from Reno flew in to record Eric Musselman’s every move. A member of the film crew said they were leaving immediately after the game, flying back with the Nevada coach in a private jet.